Egypt announces discovery of 3,500-year-old tomb in Luxor

An Egyptian antiquities worker works in the recently discovered tomb of Amenemhat, a goldsmith from the New Kingdom, at the Draa Abu-el Naga necropolis near the Nile city of Luxor, south of Cairo, Egypt, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanyMummies found in the New Kingdom tomb that belongs to a royal goldsmith in a burial shaft, in Luxor, Egypt, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Egypt has announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)Egyptian antiquities worker brushes a skull in a recently discovered tomb of Amenemhat, a goldsmith from the New Kingdom at the Draa Abu-el Naga necropolis near the Nile city of Luxor, south of Cairo, Egypt, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanyA skull and a foot are seen in the recently discovered tomb of Amenemhat, a goldsmith from the New Kingdom, at the Draa Abu-el Naga necropolis near the Nile city of Luxor, south of Cairo, Egypt, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanySkulls found in the New Kingdom tomb that belongs to a royal goldsmith in a burial shaft, in Luxor, Egypt, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Egypt has announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

Egypt has announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty.

The tomb is located on the west bank of the river Nile in a cemetery where noblemen and top government officials are buried.

Antiquities minister Khaled el-Anany said the tomb is not in good condition, but it contains a statue of the goldsmith and his wife as well as a funerary mask.

He said a shaft in the tomb contained mummies belonging to ancient Egyptian people who lived during the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

Mummies found in the New Kingdom tomb that belongs to a royal goldsmith in a burial shaft, in Luxor, Egypt, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Egypt has announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

The tomb was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists and the fanfare surrounding Saturday's announcement is designed to boost Egypt's slowly recovering tourism industry.

Egyptian antiquities worker brushes a skull in a recently discovered tomb of Amenemhat, a goldsmith from the New Kingdom at the Draa Abu-el Naga necropolis near the Nile city of Luxor, south of Cairo, Egypt, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

A skull and a foot are seen in the recently discovered tomb of Amenemhat, a goldsmith from the New Kingdom, at the Draa Abu-el Naga necropolis near the Nile city of Luxor, south of Cairo, Egypt, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany